Chapter 329 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Did you possibly expect me to tell my mean boss who has the reputation of firing employees that I was drunk the previous night and woke up late?” She asked, and Harry shook his head.

“I’m curious about something though. Did you come up with the lie at that moment, or you rehearsed it beforehand?”

Celsie laughed softly, “It was a spur of the moment tale. I had other stuff I had planned to say, but the moment you mentioned my name it all evaporated from my brain,” Celsie confessed, and Harry laughed as they both stopped outside her office door.

“Thank you for forgiving Benne, and being with him. I was very worried that everything would blow up in our faces once you found out the truth,” Harry said, and Celsie gave him a nod.

“You must like him a lot to be so loyal to him,” Celsie observed.

“Sure. I’m not just saying this because he’s my best friend. He’s a great guy. Just don’t tell him I said so,” Harry pleaded, and Celsie grinned.

“Thank you for helping me bring the box,” Celsie said as she extended her hands to take the box from him.

“Can I ask you a question?” Harry asked hopefully, still holding on to the box.

“Sure.”

“Do you usually remember everything you say or do when you were drunk?”

Celsie cocked her head to the side as she considered the question, and then she shook her head, “I still don’t remember most of the things that happened between Benne and me that first night we met. I think there are people like me who do not remember stuff,” Celsie said remembering how she had even thought they had sex when they didn’t.

Harry gave her a nod, “Alright. Thank you. Don’t forget to let me know if anyone gives you a hard time,” Harry said as he returned the box to her, and Celsie smiled at him.

“Thanks, Haha,” she said, and Harry chuckled as he watched her go into her office.

Once he turned around the smile disappeared from his face and he sighed as he returned to his office. A part of him hoped that Jade wouldn’t remember the kiss, especially since he didn’t know if she had done it under the influence of alcohol or because she wanted to. He didn’t want things to become awkward between them. He had left the house without waking her up because he was avoiding her and didn’t want to face her. He hoped that she would leave before he returned from work, and he wouldn’t have to face her until she travels back.

While Harry agonized over their kiss, Jade opened her eyes that morning, and she smiled to herself as she sat up on the bed. Unlike most people, she wasn’t one to suffer from severe hangovers apart from the feeling of lightheadedness and dehydration she had once in a while.

She slowly got off the bed, and the first thing she noticed was her shoes which he had taken off. Although she had been asleep when he took off the shoes, she had known the moment he held her ankles to take off the shoes.

She had a wide smile on her face as she walked out of the room, curious to see how he would react to seeing her this morning.

The smile soon disappeared from her face when she walked into the living room and she didn’t see any sign of him. She walked over to the kitchen and although she could perceive the light aroma of coffee, there was no sign of him either.

Thinking that he was probably in his bedroom, she turned to leave but her eyes fell on a packet of ibuprofen, and a sticky note on the dining table so she paused to pick it up.

‘Good morning. I’ve left for the office and I might be too busy to see you before you leave. Take the medicine for your handover and you can help yourself with anything in the kitchen or refrigerator. Take care of yourself. Bye’

Jade scoffed as she read the note. So this was his morning after reaction to the kiss? He was going to start avoiding her? She couldn’t believe that he thought she would leave without seeing him with or without the kiss.

The kiss had mostly been for her to test the chemistry between them and to see if he would respond to it, and she had gotten the confirmation she needed. Seeing how he was backing away from her, she had to admit that pretending to be that drunk had been a very good idea. At least now she could pretend like she didn’t remember anything and things would go back to the way it was until she is done with her case and is ready for him. With that thought in mind, Jade smiled to herself as she returned to her bedroom to prepare for the day ahead. She needed to stop by OmniGlobal and have a good look at the place she might be working soon.

“Look who we have here, Haha!” Benne joked once Harry walked into his office, and Harry chuckled.

“I’m glad you’re no longer putting on that hideous costume and double glad that you’ve thrown out those stupid piercings,” Harry said as he took the seat opposite Benne for them to talk since it was the first time they were going to be alone since he returned with Jade.

“You should be triple glad that I also got what I wanted,” Benne pointed out, and Harry gave him a nod.

“Yeah. Although I didn’t approve of your ways, I’m glad you got her,” Harry said with a nod before looking around the office, “So, how have things been around here?”

“Not bad. How did things go over there?” Benne asked curiously, and then he listened as Harry brought him up to speed with Jade’s case and all that had happened.

“… I should also let you know that I offered her a job with the legal team here,” Harry said, and Benne narrowed his eyes.

“Why? Did something happen between you both for you to want to keep her here?”

“No. Nothing happened, and I can assure you that nothing is going to happen. She’s just very intelligent, and I think we will need someone like her working in our legal team. And at least this will be less dangerous for her than starting her own practice as she plans to. I don’t want to babysit her anymore,” Harry babbled on defensively, and Benne just watched him in amusement, wondering what happened between him and Jade to spook him.

He could tell that Harry wasn’t lying to him since Harry wasn’t really the type to tell lies. But Harry also wasn’t the type to talk so much unless he was feeling guilty about something, and the fact that he was avoiding eye contact right now said a lot.

“Okay. So what did she say? Did she accept your offer?” Benne asked, choosing to let Harry be for the time being until he was willing to open up on his own to him.

“Not yet.”

“You think she will?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said with a shrug, not wanting to think about her.

“I hope she will. I also offered Bryan a job here,” Benne said, and Harry’s brows shot up.

“Bryan is an actor. What job could you possibly offer him? Director of playboy costumes or ACTING CEO?” Harry asked, laying emphasis on the acting, and Benne chuckled.

“I missed you,” Benne said, and Harry gave him a stiff smile.

“You missed your BORING best friend?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Good for you. So what position did you offer him?” Harry asked curiously.

“Before I tell you that, have you considered my proposition? I want us to make the announcement during the meeting with the shareholders later today.”

“Benne, are you certain that you have thought it through?” Harry asked thoughtfully.

“We both know that I wouldn’t have made the offer if I hadn’t already thought of it. The company is gradually becoming too big for me to handle alone, and there is no one else I trust to do this with me. I want you to have as much authority as I have to take care of the company. Besides, you’ve been playing the role this whole time. We can as well just make it official,” Benne pointed out, and Harry scoffed.

“How do I know you’re not doing this just so you would have enough time for your office romance?” Harry asked, and Benne chuckled.

“Even if that was the case, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind,” Benne said, and Harry sighed.

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